An Old Man's Game
by Jay08
Summary: Set some time after the liberation of the Mojave, this story shows a possible outcome for the wasteland after both the NCR and Legion are driven back at the Dam. The courier must once again, traverse the familiar road to city of lights, New Vegas. Along the way, he will encounter faces from his past, but Can he save the Mojave from a government he helped form?(Cover by psychosako)
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: If you have read any of my prior writings I am sure you are confused or outraged at my lack of an update to my current stories, as well as my starting of a new one. But, allow me to explain. Before Homeward Bound, I was writing this story, but it never got off the ground because I wasnt happy with it. So this story does in fact pre-date most my other stories. I am still working on the updates for my two other stories and assure you that they are coming. However, thanks to my new job my timetable is pretty all over the place. So I am sure you will forgive me. (Hopefully)**

**Now, if you havent read anything by me, then please enjoy. And Remember to R & R. **

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><p>In the years that followed the second battle of Hoover Dam, change came to the Mojave. This new form of law enforcement was stricter then the kind the people of the Mojave were used to, but it had been effective in the past. Nearly wiping out the raider problem that plagued the NCR's finest soldiers, and completely incinerating the group known as the Vipers, whom the legion found no more than a bother. However, down the line, the new order became more and stricter on their laws and soon there was very little freedom left in the Mojave Wasteland and New Vegas. The once promised land of sin and gambling, had become a land of order and strict law. Dangerous elements had been tied up rather quickly under the new management, but the constant danger remained. The danger of the management itself.<p>

The Securitron rolled up the familiar dirt road towards the small settlement. Since Vegas had become independent years prior, the only form of law that remained was the law upheld by the robot guardsmen known as the securitron's.

This particular securitron had been to this settlement before. In fact, he had been all over the wasteland. There was a time where he was the only securitron that was capable of traveling outside of the Vegas gates, but now he was one of many that ventured out into the wastes on patrol. Not that he was complaining or anything like that, it was just kind of nice when he was out here by himself.

The settlements community began to gather outside of their shacks and homes to greet the securitron, whether they wanted to or not. This was not out of kindness, but out of fear. Securitron's rarely pulled into towns, as they didn't need to eat or sleep, so the concept of rest was foreign to them. But they did pull up, when they wanted someone from the town. And who better to send then the smiling cowboy, Victor, to bring the target back.

"Howdy partners!" Victor said, as the crowd glared at him in contempt.

"I am looking for the doctor of this here parts, any idea where he is?"

"What do you want the doctor for?" One resident asked, causing Victor to turn to face him slowly.

"Well, I don't believe that's any of your business there, partner." Victor responded, the same tone of cheer and anger in his tone.

"Well it's all our business. He's a good man. What do you want him for?" Another resident explained, as Victor turned to face another argumentative citizen.

"Listen up folks. I realise that ya all are hooting and a howling because ya think I'm gonna hurt the doc, but see all I wanna do is talk to the fellow." Victor explained, impatience in his tone.

"Yeah that's what the securitron at Novac said…before he dragged Manny Vargas out of the motel and executed him." Another resident shouted.

"And poor Sheriff Myers! He was a lawman too, and you securitrons just barged into town and killed him like he was a raider." Another resident continued, as the people began to ban together.

"Now Mr. Myers was a former criminal, and he wasn't too keen on playing by the new honchos rules. And Mr. Vargas…well he was one of them Khans…can't have that kind of folk around can we?" Victor explained, as his circuits informed his body to load the riot control programme.

"We'll die before we let you take the doctor from us." A child from the crowd announced, as Victor began uploading the file.

"No…Damn it Billy…if you all die, I am going to have such a hard time cleaning up the mess." The man holding a walking stick said, as he hobbled through the crowd.

"Now…someone called for me?" He asked, looking around at the crowd for a sign of recognition.

"Howdy!" The robotic voice of Victor announced catching the old man's attention.

"Victor….Sorry I'm a bit slow…not at the best right now. Old age and all that…" He stated, as **he** approached the robotic enforcer.

"Been a while partner!" the robot responded in a cheery demeanour.

"That it has…now what can I do for you today? Another courier shot in the head perhaps? You know you need an appointment." The man asked, smiling as if he was talking to an old friend.

"Ho-Ho-Ho that's a funny one Doc." The securitron faked, as he kept his tone cheerful.

"I thought so." The old doctor stated, as he looked back to the crowd.

"No…I am here because the head Honcho wants you to come on down to the strip, to have a word with you." Victor explained, much to the disbelief of the crowd and his conversation partner.

"Now…Victor…You know as well as I do…You aren't going to take me to your boss. You're here to kill me." The old friend accused, as he approached Victors screen.

"Nothing gets around you does it?" Victor said coldly, in a voice not of his own.

"You're watching…aren't you?" the man stated, as he waved his hand in front of victors screen.

"Through Victors monitor…You watching me…watching my next move." The man smirked, as he turned away and began walking back towards the crowd.

"Couldn't do it yourself, could you?" he asked, a smirk of condescension on his face.

"You're still scared, I got something up my sleeve." He continued, as he turned back to face the machine.

"You have 48 hrs to get out of dodge partner…or I'm going to have to put ya down." Victor warned, as the old face grew serious. He wondered if Mitchell were here, what he would do.

"I'll be here…will you?"

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><p>"We're leaving town!" Sunny said to her husband, aggression in her tone that filled their house.<p>

"You think I am just going to lay down and let this happen? After everything Good springs has done for us?" John asked, as he poured himself a glass of whiskey.

"Why not? You have helped these people for the last 30 years…isn't it time someone else took over?" Sunny asked, as she pulled her hunting rifle from its place on the wall.

"There is none else." John explained, as he downed the glass of irradiated whiskey.

"You and I both know, the chances of a man who needs a walking stick has against an army of securitrons." Sunny explained, ready to hit the glass of whiskey from her husband's hand.

"Yup… Pretty bad." John admitted, limping over to the couch.

It was on this couch, that he and his wife first made love. It was in this town, that their first born daughter killed her first bloatfly. And it was here that they had planned to be buried. Despite his dark blonde hair going grey and his limp, he was still one of the most handsome men Sunny had ever laid eyes on. Which is why it hurt even more, that he wanted to go through with this crusade of his.

"And what about your life here? Your kids? Me?" Sunny asked, anger and sadness in her voice.

"Don't do that…" John warned, anger now in his voice.

"Do what? Talk some sense into my dummy of a husband?" Sunny asked, an increased sense of aggression flooding her voice.

"Use the things that mean the most to me, to Try and stop me…" John said, as tears flooded his wife's eyes.

"Just for once…after all this time…do you not have the right to think of your own happiness?" Sunny sobbed, as she gripped her husband's hand tightly.

30 years, they had been married. Some of the happiest years of her life had been spent by this mans side. She loved him with all her heart, and he loved her with all his. But this, was by far the most selfish move he had ever made, in her mind.

"I started this Sunny….I need to finish it." John admitted, pulling his wife close to his body and embracing her.

"If you wanted to kill yourself so bad….I could have fixed you up something. An old family recipe. Very slow and painful. You would love it." Sunny chuckled in sadness, as John shared her amusement.

"That's called marriage. And I love every second of it." John responded, gaining a slap on his chest from his wife along with a chuckle.

"I am coming with you then!" Sunny argued, as she pulled her rifle up to her chest.

"No…Sunny…I have to do this alone… You will be safer here." John stated, struggling to get to his feet.

"Just…please….after all these years of losing arguments to you…Give me one win. Please" John pleaded, as he held his wife close to his body once more.

"…" Sunny remained speechless.

"Thank you….and goodbye. I love you." John admitted, kissing his wife softly before

"You're not the courier anymore John!" Sunny shouted, after her husband causing him to stop.

"…..I know…." John admitted as he limped out of the bedroom.

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><p><strong>AN: Yup...Courier Six took over for Doc Mitchell after the second battle of Hoover dam. Kinda fitting I believe. For the record. This is not my canon courier, its just a courier I wanted to do for so long. John Marlowe was one of my first characters in NV and this story kinda fitted him and his personality. **


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N: Good news bad news. Good News, my other story 2278 A space odyssey's update is coming soon, the bad news is that Settlement of Ants is shelved for the time being. **_

_**The why? Time mostly, because of work I am finding it harder and harder to get time to write. That, and I am currently holding a contest for 2278 A space Odyssey that has me reading a lot as well and trying to come up with different variations of dialogue for characters. Anyways, thanks for understanding and I will be returning with more updates soon. Enjoy this update, and remember to R&R. **_

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><p>Sunny watched as her husband limped into the kitchen, on his way to get them both a cold drink. He had quite drinking some years ago, but didn't mind her still having a few beers around the place. But she still worried about him, no matter how strong he acted. It was admirable, but very foolish of him.<p>

Approaching him from behind, he turned to her holding two bottles in his hand: A Nuka cola and a Bottle of beer.

"One beer for my beautiful wife, and one cola for the man who tricked her into marriage."

"Thank you." Sunny smiled, as she took the beer from his hand.

"For the beer or tricking you into marriage?" John asked, a smile as he sat down beside his wife and opened their drinks.

"Where's the kids?" Sunny asked, leaning against the wall, trying to avoid the anymore arguments.

"Out back…playing with Ed-E." John answered, sighing at the thought of the aging eyebot.

"You have to do something about them…" Sunny said, talking the floating eyebot who had become a kind of pet to the kids.

"But…" John interrupted, trying to avoid this repeated conversation.

"But nothing, he has to go!" Sunny barked, as a realisation came to her mind that caused a smile.

"You're talking about the kids aren't you? So I won't be mad at you for not getting rid of your dog and leaving to get yourself killed?" Sunny asked, a strict tone failing to mask her amusement.

"Damn…I've become transparent." John chuckled, as Sunny began to slap him.

"Asshole" She shouted as she continued to slap his body, like they were young again.

"Hey-Hey!" John barked, as he took sunny in his arm and hugged her chuckling to himself.

The tears began again. Sunny cried into her husband's chest, hugging him tightly in a sad attempt to stop him from leaving. John hugged her tightly, as he realised how much he was going to miss her.

"Are you going to tell them?" Sunny sobbed, as she continued holding her husband.

"The kids? I have to." John confessed, sorrow in his tone.

"I'll call them in…" Sunny volunteered, as John limped towards the backdoor.

"No…I'll go out to them." John stated, limping towards the backdoor.

"Are you sure?" Sunny asked, sadness gripping her voice.

"They should hear it from me." John admitted, realising how hard it was to do this.

"You get to cooking dinner." John softly ordered, grinning to his wife and getting a chuckle from her.

"You're a terrible father…." Sunny smiled, thankful for the husband who could always make her laugh. Even if they weren't always good jokes.

"But I am a good man." John smiled, exiting through the back door limping slowly.

"Harrison, Craig, Wendy, Arcade, Pedro, Samantha!" John barked, calling his family towards him.

His three kids and his four grandkids all turned to face their summoner. Ed-e zoomed over to his old friend with great enthusiasm. John smiled with great happiness and a sense of accomplishment at this sight.

"Yeah Dad?" His eldest daughter Samantha asked, a look of worry on her face.

"What?" his grandson Pedro questioned, raising his cap to meet his grandfather's gaze.

"It was Wendy!" His youngest grandson stated, accusing his twin sister of something john had not yet discovered.

"Was not!" Wendy cried out, punching her brother in the arm.

"I have something to….Wait…Harrison what was Wendy!?" John asked, anger in his tone.

"Harrison, what have you and your sister done!?" their father Craig asked, looking at the two trouble makers.

"I swear to…..never mind…Look kids, I have some news." John started, his attention turning to the floating eyebot.

Ed-E had not aged well, and John blamed some of his issues on the followers of the Apocalypse and their tinkering. John had allowed them to analyse Ed-E some years ago, and his current condition was a result of their half assed reconstruction and upgrades. These days, he seemed to struggle to stay afloat, which worried John greatly. Craig constantly told his father to get a new eyebot or scrap Ed-E, much to his father's displeasure. They didn't know just how special Ed-E meant to John.

"Hey buddy. How ya holding up?" he asked rubbing Ed-e's cold shell with care.

"Beep boop" Ed-e responded, a cheerful tone to his usual robotic voice.

"Yeah dad? What is it?" Craig asked, confusion in his tone.

"You're going to fight that thing…aren't you?" Wendy asked, sadness in her voice.

"Yes…that's right Wendy." John admitted, realising that this was not going over well.

"Dad No. You are not facing that thing alone. Not without help." Samantha stated, pointing her finger at her father.

"Look, I need to do this." John explained, frowning at his kids and grandchildren.

"I'll get my rifle." Arcade stated, ready to help his father.

"No…No no, Arcade. I am doing this alone." John confessed, leaning on his cane.

"You're not standing up to a securitron all alone!" Samantha stated, trying to talk her father out of his crusade.

"Sammy, honey, your mother couldn't convince me. Now she has won every argument we have ever had, and you think you can change my mind?" John asked, a smile crossing his face in an attempt to calm down his family.

"Dad, this is suicide!" Arcade barked, stating what was on everybody's mind.

"No…its protecting those I love." John explained, a poor smile on his face full with misfortune.

"And you won't let those who love you, protect you?" Craig asked, anger in his tone.

"No, not this time." John stated, remembering the people who died trying to protect him.

Besides… I won't be alone… Will I boy?" John continued, nodding towards the eyebot.

"Beep Beep Beep" Ed-E responded, his determination clear in his sounds.

"Ed-E's lasers are shot, he can't help you." Craig responded, his reasoning sound but rather insulting to the eyebot.

"Beeep" Ed-E responded angrily, shaking in mid-air.

"He's not deaf you know, Craig?" John pointed out, smiling to himself at the old Eyebots frustration.

"Dad…Please. Let us help you." Samantha pleaded, catching her father's attention.

"Let me ask you all something. How many lives are you willing to end, to save an old man?" John asked, smiling at his family.

"I don't know." Craig answered, feeling like he was being asked this question.

"One Hundred and twenty." John stated, as his frown increased.

"That's how many people live in this town. And whether they want to help me or not, they will die if I don't do something. I won't let that happen." John explained, as he remembered some of his fallen friends.

"You can barely walk!" Arcade continued, catching his father's attention.

"I know that! I am reminded of that every day I wake up, and can't stand on my own two feet." John explained, raising his stick in anger and frustration.

"And you expect to be able to take on a securitron?" Samantha asked, expressing the deep concern she had for her father in her tone.

"No…but I am going to try." John admitted, facing the probable fact that this could be his last showdown.

"Dad…" Samantha started, tears welling up her brown eyes.

"Honey…You are my treasure's. Hell you mean more to me than all of the Sierra Madre ever did! So Drop it….You can't change my mind." John explained, as he turned towards the door.

"Now let's go inside…Dinners almost ready." John smiled, as his limped back into his house.

That night, John sat on a familiar gravesite in goodsprings cemetery to watch the sunrise. The cemetery had remained the same, even after all the years that passed since that night. Sure graves had been added over the years, but the cemetery always had the same open grave. An empty grave, left untouched for years and used only once. Ed-E floated up to his friend, and began hovering around him.

"Hey Ed-E… wanna join me in watching a sunrise?" John asked, as he sat in his own grave.

"Bee-Beep" Ed-E responded, dropping to the ground no longer sustain his hovering.

"Oh carful there pal…" John cautioned, running his hand along the cold metallic shell of his friend.

"Beep-Bop." Ed-E beeped, as John positioned him in what he believed to be a more comfortable position.

"There we go…better?" John asked, as he turned towards the brightening sky.

"Beep –Beop" Ed-E responded, a reluctance and tired tone in his beeps.

"Why now? Why did this shit have to happen now?" John asked, watching the sky and waiting for the sun.

"Life has a way of punishing you for the mistakes you make." Ed-E played the familiar voice over his recording, reminding John of his former Allies.

"He was right…" John smiled, reminiscing on the man who spoke those words.

"Beeep..." Ed-E's voice began crackling and became weak.

"What's wrong Ed-E?" John asked, as he looked over towards Ed-E.

"Looks like it's time to cash in…" Ed-E's playback stated, as John became horrified at what this meant.

"No…No come on pal. Make it through one more sunrise…Please!" John begged, as he began shaking the eyebots head in his hands.

"Beeeee…"Ed-E responded, his voice now silent as the life drained from his circuits.

Tears profusely ran from Johns eyes, as he cradled the dead eyebot in his arms. Ed-E and John had been through so much together, but John never wanted to outlive the kind hearted EyeBot. Ed-E deserved better, and John was going to give it to him.

That day, at sunrise, the empty grave at Goodsprings, which had remained untouched for years, had finally been filled.

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><p><em><strong>That ending was pretty hard to write because Ed-E was one of my most loved companions. <strong>_


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N: Short and sweet chapter here, Hope you all like it. Next Chapter has the show-Down between John and Victor.**_

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><p>"Mom…You can't let dad do this! He thinks he's some kind of Lone Nomad cowboy, or something." Sam pleaded to her mother, as her father limped into his workshop.<p>

John had a private room to himself that he kept all his old equipment and Knick knacks that he picked up during his travels. His heart was still in sorrow, over the passing of his close friend and companion Ed-E. However, he knew Ed-E wouldn't want him to moan the eyebot's passing. He would want to be remembered happily.

"Did I ever tell you, how me and your father met?" Sunny asked, as she sat down on the coach.

"Yeah, you were out hunting and mistook him for a raider." Craig answered, walking up beside her.

"He he" Sunny chuckled, as she leaned back looking to the sky.

"Wait…that's not what happened?" Arcade asked, now fascinated by the truth of his mother and fathers meeting.

"No…" Sunny admitted, as the door to John's workshop closed.

"Mom…what are you talking about." Samantha asked, trying to understand her mother's meaning.

"You were the town's hunter…and dad was a traveling courier/medic….right?" Sam continued, as she sat next to her mother.

"Kinda…" Sunny smiled, her son Craig passing her a beer.

"Thanks sweetie." Sunny gratefully said, opening the bottle and taking a swig.

"Mom!" Sam bellowed with impatience, much to the shock of her siblings, child, niece and nephew.

"Do not raise your voice to me Samantha Rose Marlowe." Sunny shouted, causing everyone to become silent in fear of the matron. She never got tired of it.

"….."

"Good…Now, what you have to realise is that it wasn't love at first sight. Far from it. He staggered into Trudy's like he had been drinking for the last…" Sunny began, memories of what seemed like a past life came flooding back.

"Who's Trudy?" Harrison asked, sitting on the ground before his grandmother.

"Don't interrupt grandma, honey." Sunny smiled, as she tried to remember where she was in her story.

"Where was I….Oh yes. So he had staggered in like he had been drinking non-stop for the last week and..." Sunny recalled, telling the story how she had remembered it.

John had been told to find a hunter by the name of Sunny in the local tavern, apparently this hunter would gladly assist in training John to shoot. Or re-training John to shoot. He was not sure if he had ever raised a weapon before, as the only proof of identification he had was a name badge on his bloodied courier vest.

"I am looking for a guy named sunny!" John shouted, still holding that bandaged head of his.

"Cheyenne stay!" Sunny ordered, her loyal pet ready to pounce on the stranger.

"Sorry…she gets a bit protective." Sunny explained, feeling pity for the wounded man.

"I bet…" John said, disdain in his voice.

John never liked dogs, which was something he had recalled from his past. One of the few details he could recall anyways, other than his name and the fact he wanted a drink bad.

"You know a Sunny?" he had asked, a rather rude tone in his voice.

"I might, who wants to know?" She had asked, humouring the rude victim.

"A head shot victim..." He responded coldly.

"So an ashhole?" Sunny said with a grin on her face.

"Better than a nosey bitch!" he barked, his tone one of contempt.

"MOM WHERE IS THIS GOING?!" Sam shouted, interrupting the story and gaining a slap across her head.

"Ouch!" She shouted, raising her head to look at her mother.

"What did I say about raising your voice?" Sunny asked, much to the amusement of her grandchildren.

"So you hated each other?" Wendy asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion.

"Oh yes, we couldn't stand the sight of each other." Sunny admitted, smiling to herself.

"But…you two love each other?" Craig asked, concerned for his parents' marriage.

"Oh yes, but see…there's a fine line between love and hate." Sunny explained, a grin passing her lips.

"So…when did you start falling for each other?" Pedro asked, not fascinated.

"A few months later. Right before the last battle at hoover dam." Sunny continued, answering her grandson's question.

"We sat down…talked…drank…and I found he was quite the gentlemen." Sunny went on, withholding some information from her family

In fact, they had gotten into a bar fight and later had sex out near Yangtze Memorial, but she wasn't about to tell her family that truth. That night was a special night, which only her and her husband would ever share. To this day, she still goes red cheeked when she thinks of it.

"Where is this going?" Sam asked, now wondering if there was a point to this ramble.

"See your father had….has…a lot of enemies. He didn't want to see someone he cared for get hurt. So, he pushed me away. But I told him, if he cared for me that much he wouldn't care about putting me in danger. He would do all he could to protect me. So he made me a promise." She explained, holding back the pained tears she felt coming.

"Which was?" Arcade asked.

"He would marry me when he was sure he could protect me." Sunny answered.

"Really?" Arcade questioned.

"The point is that when your father wants to protect us, and he will stop at nothing to make sure we are out of danger." Sunny answered, as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

John tightened his ammo bandolier over his shoulder, and held his breath as he closed his old cargo pants. He had gained a bit of weight in his old age, but he still looked good. At least Sunny said he did. He looked around the room, at his trophies and memories of his past life. Packing the last of his needed gear into his satchel, he leaned down to the crate where he kept the most important of his treasures. Smiling, he pulled one of the many identical pieces out and limped out into the living room.

"Dad." Sam said, wanting to hug her father bad.

"Here…" John interrupted, handing her a heavy bar wrapped in cloth.

"What is it?" Sam asked, removing the cloth from the bar.

"It's a gold brick…I have four of them." John answered, much to the surprise of his family.

"Wait. What…how?" Craig asked, amazed at the beautiful gold before them.

"Not important. Their worth a lot of caps…and should hold you all over for a while this is all over and I am gone." John explained, as he limped towards his wife.

"You mean if..?" Arcade corrected his father.

"No…" John responded, kissing sunny on the forehead tenderly.

"Dont worry...takes victor so long to get to the point...I'll probably die of boredom first" John joked sadly, limping towards the door.


	4. Chapter 4

The townsfolk watched from their house windows, as their old doctor limped towards the securitrons shack, without his walking stick. The cane would only hinder him during this confrontation, but that didn't make his leg hurt any less. He had injured it years ago, protecting his daughter from a boy who was getting a little too rough with her. What John didn't know, is the boy brought his friends to make sure none interrupted his alone time with Samantha. John got a hell of a beating that day, but it did result in his daughter's safety. However, the damage to his body was more severe than he had believed, his leg was busted up so bad that no amount of stimpacks could cure it. Now, only med-x really helped with his moving around and he didn't really care for its effects.

Stepping up to the shack and placing his hand on his weapon, the goodspring's doctor took a deep breath. The sun was rising, and the desert carried the remnants of the night away from the small town. This shack, was the only place Victor would go and wait. It was his home, his sanctuary, and yet he had not returned to goodsprings since the courier had left the settlement all those years ago. Funny, how time seems to pass by in an instant when you are the happiest. He recalled his time outside this old shanty shack.

The taste of dirt in the air, and that watered down beer stained his taste buds. Needless to say, he was not in a happy hangover mood.

"Hey ROBOT!" he recalled shouting as he approached the shack at 5 am.

He was young, stupid and headstrong. Of course, he was still stupid and headstrong, but he wasn't young anymore. He had nearly kicked down the door, when Victor finally answered.

"Hey there part-na" He had announced, much to the displeasure of the young courier.

"You're the bucket of bolts that dug me out of that grave right?" he asked, ungrateful almost with his tone.

"I reckon so." The robot responded, his tone cheery and welcoming

"….." John had paused, not sure if he was really talking to a robot cowboy.

"Something wrong partna?" The robot asked, concerned.

"Is that a yes?" John inquired.

"Yes sir-ree-bob" Victor answered, in the cheesiest way imaginable.

"Great…did ya see who shot me in the fucking head?" John asked, wanting to know who he was going to kill.

"Now I don't know his name…but I know he went south towards Primm." Victor answered, giving john the next destination.

"Primm…got it." John said in gratitude, smiling to himself.

"You may wanna stop in to see Trudy. The ole gal would be pleased as pie to see a new friendly face." Victor recommended, much to the annoyance of John.

"I already made an impression…Red headed bitch didn't tell me where Sunny smiles was." John had declined, not over his first hangover yet.

"That's not Trudy Partner that was Ms Smiles." Victor had corrected him, revealing that the woman he had fought with was the person he needed help from.

"Well…shit then." John had responded.

John couldn't help but chuckle at this fine memory as he stared blankly at the door, knowing the eyes of the towns inhabitants were now focusing on him. Looking at his cane, he threw it aside and took a deep breath.

"VICTOR!"

"THE DOCTOR WILL SEE YOU NOW!"

With the call, the door to the shack thrust open and before the crippled doctor was a hulking securitron. Hand on his weapon, John watched as the screen held a static visage. The screen flickered, and suddenly Victors face was on the screen where it belonged.

"Hello there son." Victor greeted, his usual cheery demeanour still intact.

"Nice to see your getting old too Victor." John said, as trying to avoid the big question.

"Now, we all gonna do this easy and privately…or do I have to gun ya down in front of these fine folks like a dog?" Victor said, sounding darker than he had a moment before.

John began laughing, as fear gripped his stomach. Was this how it was going to end? If so, he could think of worse ways to die. All of a sudden his heart began beating rapidly. His chest hurt, his body fell weak, and the hand on his gun was now gripping his chest. Was he having a heart attack?

"Maybe I won't have to kill ya'll after all, looks like good old father time is doing it for me." Victor said, a mocking tone in his voice.

No, it couldn't end like this. Drastically reaching for his satchel, John pulled out some steady and quickly used it. He felt the effects quickly, his pain receding but his body still weak. This wasn't a healthy option, but it did relax his heart for a moment. Not long enough to avoid the mechanical hand approaching his face however. He hit the ground hard and felt something in his body break. That was all he needed now, another broken bone. He had little time to think, as the robotic clamp came hurdling towards his face again, this time missing. John tumbled away, narrowly avoiding the clamp of the mighty securitron.

"Why don't ya'll stay down? Be easier on everyone." Victor said, before striking John again in the gut.

"Have you met my wife Victor? She would make my life a living hell, if I just died here." John joked, trying to remind himself of who he was protecting.

John wheezed and gasped for breath, his heart hurt, his back hurt, his leg hurt. He was old, and he knew that this was a probably outcome of facing a securitron. Dying. He hadn't even begun making peace with his god, before feeling the securitrons wheel roll over his hand. Tears ran from his eyes, as he screamed in pained. He wasn't going to be using that hand for much now. He was now angry, and his survival instinct had kicked in. He still had a chance! Using all that remained of his strength, john reached for his holster with his free hand and drew the weapon. He quickly aimed it at Victor, both of them now frozen in the moment.

"Now partner…ya'll know that bullets aren't much against us securitrons." The securitron mocked, as if talking to a child.

"And no laser gun is gonna keep me back for long now is it?" Victor continued, condescension in his tone.

"But this will!" John said with a smiled, pinching the trigger weakly.

"Oh an what is it? Some sort of secret super weapon?" Victor's voice changed to that of his masters for a moment, calm and collected and no trace of a cowboy shtick.

"You could say that?" John grinned as he pulled the trigger of the energy weapon.

The securitron blasted back and hit his shack wall hard, he couldn't move, all his weapons had been rendered useless by a single blast. And his opponent was only now, getting up from the ground. Powerless, crippled and victorious.

"What is tha*BZT*…What is that gun?" Victor asked, his voice crackling from his damaged circuits.

"Something I picked up in a mountain range, years ago." John smirked, slowly approaching the dying robot.

"It's a sonic emitting device, specifically one manufactured to take down securitrons."

"Dr. Zero says hi" John thought to himself, as he knelt down before his once saviour.

"basically your being shut down from the inside…'Partner" John said, his grin turning to a scowl.

"I hope you're watching this, on your silly little monitor, in your silly little penthouse, atop your silly ivory tower. Because, I want to remind you of something. Remember the man you tried to kill, the man you threatened, and every black day he ever caused. Every obstacle he ever overcame, and then….I want to remind you. You started this war with me." John warned, scowl becoming darker, as he rose to his feet.

Victors screen went dark, as the settlers of goodsprings left their homes. Now that there was no battle to fight, they would come out and offer help. John smiled, before everything went dark and he fell to the ground.

_"You know if ya'll step out of line, while I'm here. Gonna have to put ya down?"_

_"If it comes to that Victor, may the best man win."_


End file.
